Collecting mechanism for use on continuous rod type cigarette making machines



F. F. RUAU CTING MECHANIS TYPE CIGARETTE MA 2,266,808 M ECR USE oN CONTINUOUS RCD KING MACHINES 17, 1940 Dec. 23, 1941.

COLLE 3 Sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb.

Dec. 23, 1941. F, F. RUAU 2,266,808 COLLECTING MECHANISM FOR USE 0N CONTINUOUS Ro D TYPE CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. F. RUAU NISM F TYPE CIGARETTE 2,266,808 0R USE oN CONTINUOUS Ron MAKING MACHIN Filed Feb. 17, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 COLLECTING MECHA Dec. 23, 1941.

Patented Dec. 23, 1941 I COLLECTING MECHANISM FOR USE `N CONTINUOUS ROD TYPE CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Flix Frdric Ruau, Deptford, London, England, `assigner to Molins Machine Company Limited,

London, England Application February 17, 1940, Serial No. 319,536 In Great Britain February 22, 1939 3 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to collecting mechanism for use on con- -tinuous rod type cigarette making machines, and refers to collecting mechanism of the type in which cigarettes comprising a length of tobacco filler contained in a tubular wrapper are moved fro-m the cut-off mechanism of a continuous rod type cigarette making machine in axially spaced relationship by an endless band and are moved laterally from the b-and by a surface of a deflecting element movable above `the band in an endless path (e. g. the deflecting element is rotatable about an axis `.disposed above the band), and in which an abutment is arranged to project into the path of the cigarettes to determine the extent of axial movement of the cigarettes away from the cut-off mechanism. Such collecting mechanism will be referred to herein as collecting mechanism of the type described.

It is sometimes found that particles of tobacco project from the end faces of the cigarettes, and it is the object of the invention to provide means which will, during collecting of the cigarettes, improve the appearance of the end faces of the cigarettes by causing particles of tobacco which project from the end faces of the cigarettes to be moved into or towards the plane of the end faces of the cigarettes.

According to the invention there is provided collecting mechanism of the type described wherein the abutment is provided with a projection directed towards the axially moving cigarettes, said projection being so dimensioned as to engage only the tobacco at the leading end of a `cigarette whereby the endwise impact of the cigarette against the projection tends to cause the ends of the tobacco filler to be moved into the tubular wrapper.

The invention will be more fully described by vway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a collecting mechanism constructed according to the invention, certain parts being omitted.

Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1 on the line A-B.

Figure 3 is a plan of a mechanism similar to that shown in Figure l but illustrating a medincation.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, drawn to a small scale, and showing the driving arrangements.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The drawings show mechanism for collecting 4catcher band, the deflecting surfaces for the rows cigarettes ,in two side by side rows as is usually the case, but as will b-e seen later, the invention is equally applicable to mechanism delivering the cigarettes in `a single row or in more than ltwo TOWS.

Referring to the drawings, cigarettes I issuing from the cut-off mechanism o-f a continuous rod type cigarette making machine are received on the surface of a band 2 which moves `at a linear speed greater than that of the continuous :cigarette rod so that the cigarettes are arranged `in axially spaced relationship .on the band. The band conveys the cigarettes to a position at which they are moved laterally from the band .and delivered on to the surface of a catcher vband 3 moving in a direction at right angles tothe direction of movement of the l'band 2 by which the .cigarettes are moved away from the cut-off mechanism.

Referring mainly `to Figure 3,-the cigarettes are moved laterally in two rows, .the cigarettes of each row being moved V'by operative surfaces 4 and 5 of a dei'iecting element consisting of a plate .E fixed to a shaft 'l which is rotatable about an axis disposed above the surface of the band. The width of the band 2 is such Ythat the cigarettes are supported by the band whilst being moved laterally until the leading end faces of the cigarettes engage with abutments referred to in -detail later which determine the extent of. the axial movement away from the cut-off mechanism. These conditions are made possible by 4co-relating the speed of movement -of the cigarette engaging surfaces 4 and f5 rof the deflec-ting element 6 with the speed -of movement of the lband l2 and with its width. The deflecting element t is movable in timed relationship with the band 42, and the width Iof the band is so selected that the axial movement of a cigarette vby 'the' band is continued dur-ing the lateral movement of the cigarette until or almost up to the instant when a cigarette engages an abutment. The cigarette is capable of moving relatively to the operative surfaces dandof kthe deecting element 6 whilst being moved laterally thereby due to the fact that the friction between the cigarettes and the band is greater than the friction lbetween the cigarettes and the surface of the .defiector which moves the cigarettes laterally.

In collecting mechanism as hitherto yproposed are disposed relatively as may'beseen in Figure 2, where the surface ll for deflecting the row nearer to the cut-off mechanism is'retarded-with respect to the surface 5 lfor defiecting `the other row in order to give alternate cigarettes time to pass by the rst deilector surface. The relative displacement between the surfaces may be obtained as in Figure 2 by having two separate deecting elements 6 mounted on the shaft 'I, or the two surfaces may be p-rovided by a single plate 6 having blocks 8 xed on to it as shown in Figure 3. In either case the operative surfaces 4 and 5 on the elements for the two rows are arranged stepwise, and the steps constitute the abutments for arresting the row or cigarettes nearer to the cutoff. The other row is arrested by an abutment which may be a disc I mounted for rotation with the deflecting elements.

It is sometimes found when the cigarettes impact endwise against such abutments that there is a tendency, if the ends of the cigarettes are inclined to be soft, for the end of the tubular wrapper to become slightly damaged. vTo avoid this difficulty as far as possible while obtaining the advantage gained by causing the cigarettes to impact endwise against an abutment, the'abutments according to the present invention comprise studs or projections I I directed towards the cigarettes being moved axially by the band 2. The studs II constituting the abutments are movable in timed relationship with the deflecting surfaces 4 and 5, and in both constructions shown the studs against which the leading end faces of those cigarettes which are to be delivered to the row remote from the cut-olf impact, are fixed on a disc I mounted for rotation with the shaft 'I supporting the deflecting element or elements as the case may be. Those studs II which constitute theabutments for the cigarettes which are to be delivered to the row nearer the cut-olf are fixed on an end face of the element 6 having the operative surfaces 5 in the construction shown in Figure 2.

In Figure 3, however, where a single deflecting element 6 is provided with blocks 8 to provide the relatively displaced surfaces 4 and 5, the studs are fixed to the ends of the blocks. These blocks are of such thickness that the distance between the surfaces 4 and 5, considered in the direction of movement of the element 6 (that is, at right angles to the direction of movement of the band 2) is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of a cigarette. The studs are cylindrical for round cigarettes and are of a length of, for example, oneeighth of an inch, and the diameter of the studs is slightly less than the diameter of the tubular wrapper for a cigarette. The studs are located upon their supports so that the studs are moved into position to be engaged by a cigarette at the appropriate instant. Due to the fact that the studs project from the surface of the supports and are smaller in diameter than the diameter of the tubular wrapper of a cigarette, only the tobacco at the end of a cigarette will be engaged by the abutment. The impacting of a cigarette against a projecting stud causes the tobacco at the leading end of the cigarette to be moved towards the leading end of the tubular Wrapper of the cigarette. There will also be a tendency for the rear end of the tobacco to be improved by the momentum of the tobacco iiller tending to cause compression of the tobacco and the resulting movement of the tobacco at the rear end of the cigarettes towards the rear end of the tubular wrapper.

The driving arrangements are shown in Figure 4, where I2 indicates a shaft mounted in the bed I3 of the machine and carrying a helical gear I 4. This gear engages an equal gear (not shown) which is fixed to the shaft of the cut-off. A sprocket I5 on the shaft I2 drives another sprocket I5 fixed on a shaft I'I through a chain I8. The shaft II has a gear IS fixed on it, and its outer end carries the tape driving drum 2f). The gear I9 engages with a gear 2l on a shaft 22 which also carries a worm 23 and a sprocket 24. The worm engages with a Worm wheel 25 fixed to the spindle of the roller 26 which drives the band 3 while the sprocket 24 drives another sprocket 21 by a chain 28. The spindle 29 to which the sprocket 2l is fixed has a spiral gear 3B on it which engages another spiral SI xed on the spindle 1 which carries the deilectors. Thus all the parts are driven at the necessary speeds.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is a set of studs for each row of cigarettes to be delivered to the catcher band 3, and thus where only a single row is required only a single set of deiiector blades such as those embodying the operative surfaces 5, Figure 1, will be required. The studs II would then be arranged on the disc I0 as in the devices illustrated.

It will be appreciated that if the cross-section of the cigarettes is other than substantially circular, for example, if the cross-section is oval, then the studs will not be cylindrical but will conform substantially to the cross-sectional shape of the cigarettes. In all cases, however, the cross-sectional size of the studs is slightly less than that of the cigarettes so that only the tobacco at the ends of the cigarettes is engaged by the studs.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Collecting mechanism for cigarettes issuing from the cut-ofi mechanism of a continuous rod cigarette making machine comprising an endless band to convey the cigarettes in axially spaced relationship, a deilecting element movable above the band in an endless path to deflect cigarettes laterally from the band., and an abutment to determine the extent of axial movement of the cigarettes away from the cut-off mechanism, said abutment being provided with a projection directed towards the axially moving cigarettes, such projection being so dimensioned as to engage only the tobacco at the leading end of a cigarette whereby the endwise impact of the cigarette against the projection tends to cause the ends of the tobacco ller cf the cigarette to be moved into the tubular wrapper, said band constituting the sole means for propelling said cigarettes against said projection at the moment of impact.

2. Collecting mechanism for cigarettes issuing from the cut-off mechanism of a continuous rod cigarette making machine comprising an endless band to convey the cigarettes in axially spaced relationship, a delecting element movable above the band in an endless path to deflect cigarettes laterally from the band, and an abutment to determine the extentof axial movement of the cigarettes away from the cut-off mechanism, said abutment being mounted for movement with the deilecting element and being provided with a projection directed towards the axially moving cigarettes, said projection being so dimensioned as to engage only the tobacco at the leading end of a cigarette whereby the endwise impact of the cigarette against the projection tends to cause the ends of the tobacco filler of the Cigarette to be moved into the tubular wrapper, said band constituting the sole means for propelling said cigarettes against said projection at the moment of impact. Y

3. Collecting mechanism for cigarettes issuing from the cut-oi mechanism of a continuous rod cigarette making machine comprising an endless band to convey the cigarettes in axially spaced relationship, a deflecting element movable above the band in an endless path to deect cigarettes laterally from the band, and an abutment to determine the extent of axial movement of the cigarettes away from the cut-ofi mechanism, said abutment being provided with a substantially cylindrical projection directed towards the axially FLIX FRDRIC RUAU. 

